Page 66 of Sundered By Fate

Aric's breath came in ragged gasps as they finally neared the palace's exit. The night air was a blessed relief, cooling his flushed cheeks and steadying his racing heart. He glanced at Davin, who looked equally shaken, but there was a fierce determination in his eyes.

"We need to go to the Silver Tower," Aric said. "We have to warn them about what's happening—the anomaly, Valerian's research. It's all connected."

Davin nodded, his expression grim. "You're right. Olaya and the others need to know."

Aric's stomach churned at the thought of what awaited them at the Tower. Olaya had been reluctant to speak about the weapon they had used at Brenville—whatever catastrophic force they'd unleashed upon the demon realm. But maybe now she would have no choice but to share what she knew.

"Do you know anything about it?" Aric asked, searching Davin's face.

Davin shook his head. "Not much. Just rumors, really. They say it was some kind of superweapon, designed to end the war once and for all." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "But if it's causing these anomalies..."

A heavy silence fell between them as they navigated the palace grounds, their path lit by the soft glow of moonlight.

"I have a feeling Valerian was involved," Davin said at last, his voice low. "I know he has grand plans for humanity's future—he's always talking about ascension and destiny and all that."

Aric's jaw tightened as he recalled Valerian's flowery speeches from the tribunal. "For humanity," he said derisively. "As if he's some kind of savior."

Davin gave him a sideways glance, one eyebrow arched. "And what about you, Aric? What do you think about all this?"

Aric started to respond, but the words caught in his throat. What did he think? His mind was a tangled web of conflicting emotions—fear for Malekith, anger at Valerian's manipulations, desperation to save both their worlds from this looming threat.

"I think," he said slowly, "we need to stop whoever is responsible for this anomaly before it's too late."

Davin nodded, a small smile playing at his lips. "Then let's go do it."

Suddenly, a commotion erupted in the palace, and the friends shared an instinctive look before hurrying back down the corridor. Servants and courtiers rushed past them, their faces alight with something between excitement and apprehension.

"What the hells—" Aric started to ask, but Davin was already grabbing a passing page by the arm.

"What's going on?" Davin demanded, his voice cutting through the noise.

The page, a young woman with wide eyes and flushed cheeks, took a deep breath before answering. "The king—King Aster—he's awake."

Aric's heart skipped a beat. King Aster? Awake? After all this time?

"He wants to address the court," the page continued, her words tumbling over one another in her rush to deliver them. "Please, you must hurry—the entire palace is gathering in the Great Hall."

Seventeen

Aric and Davin exchanged a wary glance before joining the throng of courtiers and officials streaming toward the Great Hall. Even now, as they moved with the crowd, whispers spread like wildfire, weaving a tense tapestry of anticipation and fear.

The king is awake.

The regent summoned him.

What could it mean?

Aric's own heart was a storm of conflicting emotions. He had never known King Aster personally—the aging monarch had been more of a figurehead in his later years, while Valerian assumed most of the responsibilities of state. But the idea of Aster reclaiming his throne and undoing the strange alliance that Aric and Davin had forged with Valerian . . .

The Great Hall was already teeming with people by the time Aric and Davin arrived. Brilliant tapestries depicting battles against demon forces hung on every wall; crystal chandeliers cast prisms of light on polished marble floors. Long tables laden with food stood against one wall, but no one paid them any mind.

A heavy silence descended on the room as all eyes turned to the raised dais at the far end of the hall. A line of armored guards flanked the dais, their expressions grim behind their gleaming visors.

"We must be cautious," Davin whispered as they took their places toward the back of the chamber. "We don't know what Aster will say—or what Valerian's plans might be."

Aric nodded absently as he scanned the crowd for familiar faces. Olaya and Ruta were already seated near the front, deep in conversation with some high-ranking official. And there was Cyrus, standing off to one side with several other members of his Pureblade order.

Before Aric could spot any more friends or foes, though, a horn blared from somewhere overhead, and all conversation died away as two figures emerged onto the dais.

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